1. A vessel provided with a telescopingly extendable gang plank which is connectable to an offshore pole body, said gang plank having one end movably mounted on the vessel about horizontal and vertical axes and carrying at its free end a coupling device which is adapted to cooperate with an engagement rod that projects from said pole body, characterized in that the coupling device is arranged to enclose a vertically directed engagement rod and that drive means are provided to allow the gang plank to extend independently.
2. A vessel according to claim 1, characterized in that the coupling device is suspended to the free end of the gang plank for movement about three mutually perpendicularly directed axes.
3. A vessel according to claim 2, characterized in that the retractableextendable section of the gang plank has its free end pivotally connected, about a tranverse axis that forms one of said three mutually perpendicularly directed axes, to a cross-over platform which carries said coupling device.
4. A vessel according to claim 3, characterized in that a longitudinally adjustable support rod is provided between the retractableextendable section of the gang plank and said cross-over platform.
5. A vessel according to claims 1-4, characterized in that said coupling device is provided with coupling jaws adapted to move between closed and opened positions and to enclose said engagement rod.
6. A vessel according to claims 1-5, characterized in that the retractableextendable section of the gang plank extends along the outer side of the stationary section of the gang plank.
7. A vessel according to claim 6, characterized in that the retractableextendable section of the gang plank is provided with side buffers.
8. A vessel according to claims 4-7, characterized in that the coupling jaws, the drive means for turning the gang plank about a vertical axis and for retractingextending said gang plank, as well as the longitudinally adjustable support rod are connected to a common pressurized circuit, more particularly an hydraulic circuit.
9. A vessel according to claim 8, characterized in that the pressurized circuit is arranged such that in the closed position of the coupling jaws at least the drive means for turning and retractingextending the gang plank, as well as the adjustable support rod are automatically relieved of pressure.
10. A device according to claim 9, characterized in that the engagement rod suspends from a work platform fastened to the pole body and that the hydraulic circuit is further arranged such that the drive means for luffing the gang plank are automatically relieved of pressure when or as soon as the closed coupling jaws are in the upper position on the engagement rod.
11. A device according to claims 2-10, characterized in that a ladder is provided on the pole body, behind and substantially parallel to the engagement rod.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A device that receives and processes signals from a telephone line and supports a plurality of telephone signal protocols, comprising:
a converter circuit that digitizes input signals received on the telephone line, the converter circuit providing a digital signal having components associated with the plurality of telephone signal protocols; and
a digital filter circuit, coupled to the converter circuit to receive the digital signal, the digital filter circuit adapted to convert a sample rate of the digital signal, the digital filter circuit comprising:
a first sample rate converter to convert the sample rate of the digital signal in support of a first of the plurality of the telephone signal protocols to provide a first converted digital signal; and
a second sample rate converter to convert the sample rate of the digital signal by an amount that is capable of being varied during the operation of the device in response to at least one control signal to provide a second converted digital signal having a variable sample rate, the second converted digital signal associated with a second of the plurality of telephone signal protocols.
2. The telephony device of claim 1 wherein the digital filter circuit comprises a first variable-ratio decimation filter.
3. The telephony device of claim 2 wherein the first variable-ratio decimation filter provides the first output signal, which is associated with a DSL protocol, and wherein the digital filter circuit further comprises a second variable-ratio decimation filter that provides a second output signal, which is associated with a POTS protocol.
4. A device that processes signals to be provided over a communication link in support of a plurality of signal protocols, the device comprising:
a first sample-rate converter that converts a sample rate of a first digital signal associated with a first protocol of the plurality of signal protocols to provide a first converted digital signal, the first sample rate converter converting the sample rate of the first digital signal by an amount that is capable of being varied during operation of the device according to at least one control signal received by the first sample-rate converter;
a second sample-rate converter that converts a sample rate of a second digital signal associated with a second protocol of the plurality of signal protocols to provide a second converted digital signal; and
a digital to analog converter configured to receive a combined digital signal formed from the first converted digital signal and the second converted digital signal and to convert the combined digital signal to a single analog signal associated with both the first protocol and the second protocol.
5. The device of claim 4 wherein the first sample-rate converter comprises an interpolation filter to receive the first digital signal, the interpolation filter having a variable interpolation ratio capable of being varied according to the control signal to provide the first converted digital signal.
6. A device that receives and processes signals from a communication link and supports a plurality of signal protocols, comprising:
an analog to digital (AD) converter, coupled to the communication link, that receives an analog input signal indicative of a signal on the communication link and outputs a digital signal representative of the analog input signal, the digital signal having components associated with the plurality of signal protocols; and
a digital filter, coupled to the AD converter, the digital filter comprising:
a first decimation filter that receives the digital signal and converts a sample rate of the digital signal by an amount that is capable of being varied during the operation of the device according to at least one control signal received by the first decimation filter to provide a first sample-rate converted digital signal having a first sample rate, the first sample-rate converted digital signal associated with a first of the plurality of protocols; and
a second decimation filter that receives the digital signal and converts the sample rate of the digital signal to provide a second sample-rate converted digital signal having a second sample rate, the second sample-rate converted digital signal associated with a second of the plurality of protocols.
7. The device of claim 6 wherein the first sample-rate converted digital signal is associated with a POTS signal protocol, and the second sample-rate converted digital signal is associated with a protocol selected from a group consisting of ADSL and IDSN, and a different type than POTS.
8. The device of claim 6, wherein the plurality of signal protocols includes a first signal protocol that occupies a first bandwidth and a second signal protocol that occupies a second bandwidth that does not overlap the first bandwidth.
9. The device of claim 6 wherein the digital filter further comprises at least two interpolation digital filters, each of the at least two interpolation digital filters having an association with a respective one of the first signal protocol and the second signal protocol.
10. The device of claim 1 wherein the second sample rate converter is configured to convert the sample rate of the digital signal by an amount that varies according to operation characteristics of the device.
11. The device of claim 6 wherein the at least one control signal is responsive to at least one operating characteristic of the device.
12. The device of claim 11, wherein the control signal is part of a phase lock loop that includes the first decimation filter.
13. The device of claim 12, wherein the phase lock loop does not include the AD converter.
14. The device of claim 13, wherein the AD converter to operates on a fixed-rate clock to provide the digital signal with a fixed sample rate.